Folder



Oct. 22, 1940. J. BERRY 2,219,174

` Fomnsml `Filed April 11, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 22, 1940UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 11, 1939, Serial No.267,230

6 Claims.

This invention' relates to devices for folding the edge of a paper orsimilar flexible strip suchv for example as to the strip edge foldingdevices employed in machines for spirally winding annular objects, suchas pneumatic tires, coils of wire and the like, with a stripA of paper.

VIt is anobject of the invention to provide a device of this generalcharacter which is adapted to be adjusted for folding one or both edgesof strips of different width.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a folding devicewhich is adapted to be adjusted to form folds of different widths at oneor both edges of strips of different widths.

l A further object is to provide a device adapted to be adjusted to formfolds at one or bothr edges of the strip in which the edge of the stripeithe-r is turned upward or downward.

A still further object is to provide a device 20 having one or all ofthe above mentioned features and which also is adapted to form a doublefold at the edge of the strip.`

The invention will be more clearly understood from the followingdescription in conjunction S with the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a wrapping machine embodying theinvention;

Fig. v2 is an enlarged detail plan viewof a portion of the same; v Y

30 Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail front elevational View of the portion ofvthe machine shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view from the right of Fig. 3;

Figs. 5 and 6 are fragmentary detail front ele- 35 vational views ofportions of the structure shown in Fig. 3;

Figs. '7, 8 and 9 aresectional views taken upon the lines 1-1, 8 8 and9-9 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. is a perspective view of a portion of a 40. strip folded in thedevice of the invention.

The invention is herein illustrated as applied to a machine ofwell-known type for wrapping annular objects such; for example, asautomobile tires, coils of wire, etc. The frame of said ma- 45 chinecomprises a base I5 and a yoke I6 which is pivotally mounted on a shaftI1 journalled in an upright I8 rising from the base I5, said yoke beingadjustable about the axis vof said shaft, and being secured in adjustedposition by a clamp I3 50 carried by a second upright I2. The yoke I6 isprovided -with guide rollers I9 for an annular shuttle on which isrotatably mounted a roll I4 of paper or other wrapping material. Theshuttle 20 is rotated by a friction disk 2I secured 55 to the shaft I1and driven by a friction pinion 22 on the shaft of an electric motor 23.The tire or other Work W to be wrapped is carried by Work supportingrollers 24 (only one of which is shown in Fig. 1) which are driventhrough con- 50 nections generally indicated at 25, from the Vmotor 23,the arrangement being such that the work W is turned relatively slowlylwith respect tothe speed of rotation of the shuttle 20,'so that a stripS of paper or other wrapping material is drawnv from the roll I4 andwrapped spirally about the 5 work. I l

Means is provided for applying asubstantially constant tension to thestrip S as it is led from the roll I4- to the work W in o-rder to causethe strip tobe wrapped tightly and evenly about the lul work. Such meanscomprises a brake 26 applied to the roll-holding spindle and mechanismincluding a' lever 21 engaging the periphery of the roll, forautomatically proportioning the force r with which the brake is appliedto the diameter 1"- of the roll.

The folding device of the invention comprises a body 30 (Fig. 3) ofmetal shaped to have the general curvature of a section-of the shuttle20 and having a plurality of integral posts 3| (Figs. 2U; 2, 3 and 4)projecting laterally therefrom and engaging the front surface of theshuttle 26 and secured to the latter by bolts 32.- A plate 33, providinga supporting surface over which the strip S may move freely, is securedupon the body 2o 3U by bolts 34. The plate 33 is provided along itsfront edge with spaced notches 36 and 31and on its rear edge with anotch 38 opposite the notch 36.

A cylindrical guide passage 39 is formed in the body 30 near its endwhich is adjacent the roll I4 and is adapted to receive cylindricalstuds 40'Which are heldvsecurely in any'desired fadjusted positiontherein by set screws 4I'. A plate 42 is fixed upon the outere'nd ofeach' of the 35i studs 40 and projectsv upwardly therefrom above theplate 33 and serves as a guide for each of the edges of the strip S. Thebody 30 also is provided With a cylindrical guide passage v adjacent thenotches 36 and 38 in the plate 33. Cy- 46" lindrical studs 43 and 44extend into the guide passage 45 fro-m the front andl'rear ends thereofrespectively and are held in adjusted position there-in by set screws41. Primary strip folding elements 46 and 48`are secured to the outerends .i5` of the studs 43 and 44 respectively and project upwardlytherefrom past the edge of the plate 33. Each of the folding elements46'and 4f!n com prises a sheet of metal folded so as to taperlongitudinally and is provided with a down turned 50* portion and anupturned portion 56.

The body 30 is provided with'a third cylindri- -cal guide passageadjacent the notch 31 adapted to receive one end of a rod 6I which maybe held in any desired adjusted position'therein 55T by a set screw 62.The outer end of the rod 6I is bent upwardly and curvedinwardlyftoprovide a secondary folding element 63 positioned oppositethe notch 31. The end of the plate 33 adjacent the folding element 63`isprovided with a 60 projection 64 extending from each of its oppositeedges. A shaft 66 extends between the projection 64 and carries rolls 61which project slightly above the surface of the plate 33 and'provide amovable surface over which the strip S may be led from the strip foldingdevice to the work W.

A disk 10 having an integral post 1I engaging the front surface of theshuttle 20 between the roll I4 and the plate 33 is secured to theshuttle by a bolt 12. A pair of spaced rods 13 and 'I4 project forwardlyfrom the disk 10 and provide guides through which the strip S passes asit is fed over the plate 33.

Before using the folding device of the invention the position of each ofthe studs 40 in the guide 39 is adjusted to bring the guide plates 42 tosuch positions adjacent the opposite edges of the plate 33 that thespacebetween the plates 42 is just slightly greater than the width of thestrip S which is to be folded. The position of each of the studs 43 and44 also is adjusted in the guide slot 45 to move the folding elements 46and 48 laterally or ina plane perpendicular to the desired positionsadjacent the edge of the plate and with respect to the guide plates 42.If it is desired that eitherof the primary folding elements form a downturned fold in the edge of the strip S the folding element is adjustedin a plane perpendicular to the plate 33, as indicated by the positionof the folding element 46 in Fig. 8, so-that the edge of the strip Swill engage a downwardly curved portion of the folding element as itpasses therethrough and be turned downward. On the other hand, ifk it isdesired to fold the edge of the strip upwardly, the folding element isadjusted in a plane perpendicular to the plate 33, as indicated by theposition of the follding element 4B in Fig. 8, so that the edge of thestrip will engage an upwardly curved portion of the folding element asit passes therethrough. If either of the folding elements 46 and 48 isadjusted to such a position in a` plane perpendicular to the plate 33that the edge of the strip engages the crotch of the folding elementbetween the down turned portion 55 and the upturned portion 56 thereof,then the folding element will merely serve as a guide for the engagingedge of the strip.

The location of the primary folding elements laterally with respect tothe position of the edge of the strip determines the width of the foldand the location of the edges of the strip is determined by thepositions of the guide plates 42. When either of the folding elements 46and 48 is positioned so that the edges o f the strip S engage either adown turnedor upturned portion thereof, the folding element is said' tobe in an operative folding position. However, when the folding elementis positioned so that the edge of the strip engages the crotch betweenthe up turned and down turned portions thereof, the folding element issaid to be in an inoperative folding position andmerely serves asa guidefor the edge of the strip.

If it is desired toform a double fold at one edge of the strip, the rod6l is adjusted to a position in the guide passage 60 such that thefolding element 63 isA spaced laterally inward with respect to thefolding element 46. Thus, as the previous folded edge of the strip Sengages the element 63 it engages the downwardly curved portion of theelement 63 and is folded inward and downward to form a double fold.

Iclaim: 1. A strip folding device' comprising A-a body having asupporting surface over which the strip may move freely, means forfolding an edge of -the strip, said means being constructed to fold theedge of the strip upwardly or downwardly depending upon its position ina plane perpendicular to said surface, and means for mounting saidfolding means adjacent the edge of said surface for adjustment in aplane perpendicular to said surface. Y

2. A strip folding device comprising a body having a supporting surfaceover which the strip mayA move freely, means forfolding an edge of thestrip, said means beingl constructed to fold the edge of the stripupwardly or downwardly depending upon its positionin a planeperpendicular` to said surface, and means for mounting said foldingmeans adjacent the edge of ysaid surface for adjustment laterally ofsaid surface and ina plane perpendicular to said surface.

3.- A strip folding device comprising a body having a supporting surfaceover which the strip may move freely, separate means for folding theedges of the strip, each of vsaid means being con-f structed to fold theedge of the strip upwardly or downwardlyor not at all depending upon itsposition in a plane perpendicular to said surface, and means formounting each of said folding means adjacent the edge of said surfacefor adjustment in a plane perpendicular to said surface and laterally ofsaid surfaceinto and out of operative folding position.

4. A strip folding device comprising a body having a supporting surfaceover whichthe strip may move freely, separate primarymeansfor foldingthe opposite edges of the strip, each of said primary means beingconstructed to fold the' edges of the strip upwardly or downwardly ornot at all depending upon its positionin a plane Derpendicular to saidsurface, lmeans for mounting each of said primary folding means adjacentthe edge of said surface for` adjustment in a plane perpendicular tosaid surface and laterally of said surface into and out of operativefolding poe sition, secondary means for forminga second fold in one edgeof said strip adapted` to be positioned adjacent the edge of saidsurface. at a. point spaced longitudinally from said primary foldingmeans, and means for adjusting said secondary folding means laterally ofsaid surface intoand out of operative folding position.

5. A strip folding device comprisingl abody having a supporting surfaceover which the strip may move freely, ya longitudinally ltapered fold-`ing element having upper and lower curvedportions extending laterallyinward, and meansfor mounting said elementl adjacent anY edge ofjsaidsurface for adjustment ina plane perpendicular tosaidsurface. l r l 1 y6. A strip folding device comprising a body having a supporting surfaceover-which thestrip may move freely, a longitudinally tapered foldingelement having upper ,-and lower curved portions extending laterallyinward,A :and means vfor mounting said element adjacent an edge of saidsurface for adjustment in va plane perpendicular to said surface andlaterally thereof.

JASPER nr-tY. l

